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A Gentleman’s Life

Living a gentlemanly existence comes as second nature to Huntsman’s customers, so it was no surprise that Country Life turned to the house to host the launch of its Gentleman’s Life supplement this week.

Huntsman invited guests to its Savile Row headquarters to indulge in a number of gentlemanly pursuits as they sipped Pol Roger Champagne and cocktails with a refined, robust appeal. Roving bartenders Cock & Tail turned Huntsman’s cutting table into a bar, concocting Basil Sours – a blend of vodka, white grape juice, basil, lemon, and egg white – along with cocktails created with Chase vodka and gin, distilled in Herefordshire. There was the GB&T, a gin and tonic made using Chase’s Williams GB Extra Dry gin, and the Great Chase, a heady mix of Chase vodka and the distillery’s elderflower liqueur. Meanwhile, London company Spook provided the delectable canapés.

As jazz four-piece Gene Calderazzo and the Huntsmen got the crowd dancing, some guests opted to have their shoes shined by Romi Topi, the expert shoe shiner who’d relocated from Burlington Arcade to Huntsman for the evening. And rifle-maker Rigby – which traces its history back to 1775 – put a selection of its rifles on show, which guests could examine while tasting whiskies. And for those in the mood for hijinks, Huntsman set up a photo booth in its Kingsman dressing room, filled with props such as beards, moustaches, and top hats, so guests could create their own “gentlemanly” portraits.

Alex Montgomery

The Huntsmen

The evening’s co-hosts – Huntsman chairman Pierre Lagrange and Mark Hedges, editor of Country Life – both climbed up on one of Huntsman’s leather-topped tables to muse on the subject of what makes a gentleman, before guests left with some souvenirs of the evening. Among them were Huntsman silk pocket squares, an issue of Country Life, hunting illustrations, and miniature Chase spirits.

Pierre Lagrange and Mark Hedges

And Huntsman and Country Life’s relationship doesn’t end there – look out for an exciting collaboration between the tailor and magazine to be announced in the new year.

With massive thanks to Country Life and Marcus Dawes for the fantastic photography.